WJPA Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jared Jones allowed one hit in seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates inched closer to their first winning season in eight years with a 2-0 victory over St. Louis. Jones retired the first 16 batters before Nathan Church’s double in the sixth. Jones tied a season-high with nine strikeouts in seven innings. Ryan O’Hearn delivered an RBI-single for the Pirates and Bryan Reynolds hit his MLB-leading 40th double. Andre Pallant (12-8) worked six solid innings for the Cardinals.

NEW YORK (AP) — Playing in perhaps baseball’s toughest division, the Tampa Bay Rays were the class of the field this season. The thrifty Rays clinched their fifth AL East title with a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees in the second game of a day-night doubleheader as Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in 6 2/3 innings and Yandy Díaz hit a pair of two-run singles. Tampa Bay took the AL East for the first time since 2021 and surpassed that team by three days with the earliest division clincher in team history. The club also won division crowns in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season along with 2010 and 2008, when it reached the World Series and had the franchise’s first winning season.

Jaxson Dart’s injured left knee is being evaluated and no decisions have been made, New York Giants coach John Harbaugh said after the starting quarterback exited the game at Los Angeles on Monday night. Harbaugh on Tuesday refused to confirm an ESPN report that Dart’s injury is worse than the initial diagnosis of a sprained medial collateral ligament. Harbaugh said the team would reveal details and a timeframe in due time after the evaluation is complete. Harbaugh expressed confidence in backup Jameis Winston’s ability to step in for however long Dart is out.

The Metropolitan Division looks like a free-for-all after the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at the top. Washington and New Jersey had active offseasons to try to return to the playoffs, while Philadelphia is a team on the rise and Pittsburgh is looking to hang on to a spot. Columbus, the New York Rangers and the Islanders need things to go right to climb the standings. The Hurricanes remain unquestionably the team to beat after finishing first in four of the past six seasons.